Faith Seeking Understanding

Reflections on the Trinity (4)

Some fascinating quotes from Edwards on the Trinity, all of which I have drawn from Amy Plantinga Pauw’s The Supreme Harmony of All: The Trinitarian Theology of Jonathan Edwards.

“God has appeared glorious to me, on account of the Trinity. It has made me have exalting thoughts of God that he subsists of three persons; Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.” (Personal Narrative)

“I am not afraid to say twenty things about the Trinity which the Scripture never said.” (Miscellanies #94)

“One alone cannot be excellent, inasmuch as, in such case, there can be no consent. Therefore, there must be a plurality in God; otherwise, there can be no consent in him.” (Miscellanies #117)

“When man was first created, there was a consultation among the persons of the Trinity…. So it is in the work of redemption.” (Sermon on John 16:8)

“It can hardly be said which of the persons in the Trinity has the greatest share in this work of redemption: its all from every one of them.” (idem)

“(God’s reflexive self-love) is the eternal and most perfect and essential act of the divine nature, wherein the Godhead acts to an infinite degree and in the most perfect manner possible. The deity becomes all act, and the divine essence itself flows out & is at it were breathed forth in Love & Joy.”

“The gospel brings to light the love between the Father and the Son, and declares how that love has been manifested in mercy.” (Charity and its Fruits)